47 
yielding Food for Man. 
rigines roast this root in the ashes, peel off its black 
skin with their teeth, and eat it to their roasted kanga¬ 
roo, &c. in the manner that Europeans eat bread. The 
root of the Tara fern possesses much nutritive matter ; 
yet it is to be observed, that persons who have been re¬ 
duced to the use of it, in long excursions through the 
bush, have become very weak—though it has prolonged 
life. Whether this arose from an insufficient supply, 
from eating it raw, or from some other cause, I am unable 
to determine. It is quite certain that when this root is 
grated, or reduced to a pulp by beating, and mixed with 
cold water, a large quantity of fecula, resembling arrow- 
root, is precipitated, which adheres to the bottom of the 
vessel, and which may easily be prepared for use by 
pouring off the water and floating matter ; adding fresh 
water, stirring up the white powder, and again allow¬ 
ing it to settle. It may then be cooked by boiling; or 
the powder may be spread on clothes and dried in the 
sun, or hung up in linen bags where there is a free circu¬ 
lation of air.” 
On Table Cape, on the north coast of the Island, I 
saw this fern growing upwards of ten feet high. 
Cybotium Billardieri . Tree Fern. 
Mr. Backhouse observes :—“ The native blacks of the 
Colony used to split open about a foot and a half of the 
top of the trunk of the common fern tree, and take out 
the heart, in substance resembling a Swedish turnip, 
and of the thickness of a man’s arm. This they also 
roasted in the ashes, and ate as bread ; but it is too bitter 
and astringent to suit an English palate. It is said that 
the Aborigines preferred the heart of another species of 
fern tree, found at Macquarie Harbour, and in other 
places on the northern side of Van Diemen’s Land.” 
The fern tree is very generally diffused over the 
Colony in humid umbrageous ravines, and also to the 
